A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Coding -- only on premises or also at home? - typetypetypeaway

Posted: Dec 10, 2010

I am an MT (15 years) but lost my job 8 months ago. I am looking into other possible jobs in the medical field. Can anyone suggest good schools for learning coding? Also how long would a course typically run and approximately how much would it cost for school? Would my MT experience benefit me? My last question is, once you have completed your education, do you run into problems then finding a job because you lack "work" experience and are these jobs typically done on the premises or can you work from home with that? I really don't know much about this part of the medical field. Any thoughts and input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Coding - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
1. Schools - you will have to do your own research and make your own decision, the costs and curricula vary. If you read through the posts on this board you will learn quite a bit.
2. Length of time - Probably 1 to 2 years.
3. MT will help with the terminology, anatomy and physiology portions of the course.
4. Can't answer about the job issue, but there seem to be plenty of coding jobs out there once you have your certification.
5. You can work on site or at home but need to be experienced to work at home.

Good Answer and Also . . . - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
That's a good answer. I'll just add that the MT background will help with a little more. You might not recognize this as anything special or different about yourself, so you might not see how it fits in.

Coders who have been MTs have a distinct advantage over many others simply because they understand what they see and read. This is a huge help with reading code books, reference material, and medical records.

For instance, an MT will already know the usual headings on a physical exam and what goes in them. They already know what Eyes: PERRLA, EOMI means whether it is abbreviated or written out. They have no trouble picking up on the same thing as it pertains to Evaluation and Management codes. They just see it and KNOW what it is. They KNOW how and where it fits in. They just say "Oh, it's a PE" and go on. Non-MTs have to learn all that by rote, from what an acronym is to what EOMI means and indicates.

Typically, MTs are very good at understanding written material. You can see it in their writing. In general, MTs love to read, and in my opinion, the biggest predictor of success in coding is reading ability.

good answer - Steph

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you, RedPen. I was kinda leaning on the MT background as a good advantage! I just need to chose - Andrews or Career Steps !

many thanks for all your input - typetypetypeaway

[ In Reply To ..]
I will keep this in mind as I figure out what it is I am doing...big decision to stay in MT or move on to another medical career. Thanks.

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